I like this fight. Miocic is currently ranked 10th in the UFC.com rankings, even though he just defeated Big Country who happens to be ranked 9th. Miocic is ranked behind Overeem and Mir as well, which I'd probably disagree with at this point. Browne is ranked 5th, and everyone else who's ranked higher than that is already booked, so Browne doesn't really have any other options.

Travis Browne is a physical freak for sure, and he's done a little better against the bigger names (2-1 vs 1-1). If you take the MMA math approach, he should steamroll Miocic since Browne highlight KOed Struve who treated Miocic like a punching bag.

That said, Miocic is one of the rangier, more athletic heavyweights himself, and his most recent win is an active and disciplined clinic over a recent top contender in Big Country. He's absolutely a credible matchup for Hapa, especially while Cain Velasquez and JDS have their rubber match, while Bigfoot Silva and Roy Nelson are coming off losses, and so on.

The question I have for Miocic is one that remains after the Struve fight - is he too used to being the bigger, faster fighter at heavyweight, or can he still win as the physically smaller guy? One issue in the Struve fight is that he was consistently hittable, and while his chin is solid, he simply ate too many shots and ended up on the canvas as a result. This fight will answer some questions about him, whether he is ready for another top contender or if he'll remain a talented fighter with clear stylistic weaknesses.

For Browne, it's an appealing matchup coming off the knee injury against Bigfoot and the wrecking balls to the body he ate from Overeem. I think he can lose the fight by getting taken down too often or by relying too heavily on that one big punch, but I see him as the betting favorite for the reasons above.

Last edited 9/12/13 3:25AM server time by iskEdit note/reason: n/a4 total post edits